Numb
by wrecking
Summary: Bella's freshly turned and still struggling with the lack of sensation her body feels. Her only answer is a scalding hot shower, but is that all she really wants? Edward/Bella


Edward was engaging in the heated discussion between Emmett, Jasper and Esme downstairs in the Cullens' massive house. He enjoyed listening in on each of their thoughts while another family member spoke. It was amusing how angry they were in their head, yet so relaxed in their response. Bella was upstairs reading, said she needed alone time. It worried Edward how much alone time she'd asked for recently. He didn't like letting her out of his sight, and also hated the vast space he'd have to put between them.

Esme retorted to Jasper's stance on right-wing politics just as Edward heard the shower turn on upstairs. He thought for a minute and then realized that maybe he should check on Bella. He was up the stairs and to the bathroom door before his family knew he'd left the couch.

He knocked lightly on the wooden door, calling out Bella's name. He got no answer, but could feel the huge clouds of steam pouring between the cracks in the frame. He tried the door knob and it wasn't locked.

"Bella? Are you okay?" He could barely smell her, her scent was covered by the scaling hot water pouring onto her skin. He heard her mumbling and attempting to sob.

"I'm fine! Just go," she screamed. Clearly she was more upset than that, and he wouldn't leave her.

Edward pulled back the shower curtain enough to see her face, which was pale as it ever was, although a hint paler since her transformation. She was leaning against the back of the shower stall, her head in her hands. Her body shook, trying to push out tears that just wouldn't come.

"Bella, what's wrong?" At his words, he face rose and their eyes met. There was despair in her ruby eyes, making them fade to nearly black. Edward started to take his clothes off, preparing to pull her out of the shower and tend to her just like he had the past few months.

"What are you doing?" she sniffed. She wanted him here, but she didn't want him to carry her burden. She was like a large boulder that he carried around with him now. Bella the cold rock, the sullen vampire.

Edward was down to just his boxes, slipping those off and stepping inside the shower, Bella reached for him and he pulled her into a tight embrace. "What's wrong, love? Why are you in a scalding hot shower?"

Bella leaned her head back to meet Edward's worried eyes. She wished so much for tears, for something to show her pain and torment. "I wanted to feel something. I thought, if I turned up the water to… this, that I'd feel it. I'd feel how hot it is. But I didn't, I just felt the water on my skin, nothing more. I feel numb, Edward. I'm _numb_."

Edward's heart sunk at her words. He never wanted this for her, he never wanted her to suffer. He hugged her as tight as he could, littering her with kisses. It wasn't enough, he wasn't enough for her.

He let her fall back against the wall, and put his arms up to her face. "You're not numb, Bella. You can feel this, can't you?" He trailed his fingers down her jawline, to her neck, finally following the curve of her collarbone. "This is real. You feel this."

Bella's eyes closed under the sensation of his touch, feeling every spark he left across her skin. Her hands reached for him, with a wanting desire that needed to be satisfied. Her lips crashed into his, leaving little room for misinterpretation. She felt his hips digging into hers, pushing instinctively against her most sensitive area.

"Edward…" she cried out, running her fingers through his hair. He pulled her right leg onto his hip, and pressed himself inside her. She put her hand against the small of his back, and pulled him even closer. She could feel herself pounding against the wall, her head hitting with a force that should knock her unconscious.

Edward put his hand on her neck, pushing her face upward. His mouth pressed hard against the hollow of her throat, trying to kiss her. His breath left his lips in rapid spurts, feeling himself grow closer and closer to the moment he craved. He felt her tighten around him, a sign that she was close as well.

She was pressing into him so hard, their bodies making one large mass inside the shower stall. Bella's mouth searched for his, eyes closed tight. Their lips met and moved together erratically. Each of their lust reaching an ultimate high, one that was going to crash back down at any moment. Edward could feel himself reaching the end, and mumbled into Bella's ear, "Now?"

"No, not yet. Please don't stop…,' she breathed. It would have been an easier feat, if she hadn't sounded so sultry. Edward quickened his pace even more, regretting it but helping Bella ride it out faster. Just then, her breath against his skin was fast and heavy. Her voice was weak, barely more than a murmur, "Oh… Edward…." And Bella's body seemed to fall against his, his arms around her, laughing.

"What? What is it?" she laughed, too.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you planned this." Edward turned off the water, just now noticing that it was still on. He lent a hand and helped Bella out of the shower, before following after.

Bella smiled over her shoulder, as she ran to the bedroom; leaving footprints of wet condensation on the wood floors. Edward ran after her, beating her to the bed and catching her before she tried to escape. They laughed and kissed until they heard footsteps outside their door.

Edward rushed to the door, closing it hard. He heard Alice's thoughts outside the room, "Silly newlyweds."


End file.
